Sanitary preserving can



Juiy 28, 1936.

v H. KARL SANITARY-PRESERVING CAN Filed Sept. l2', 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l1re/1 for wr/M July 28, 1936. H. KARL SANITARY PRESERVING CAN FiledSept. l2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mme July ze, 193s UNITED l vsfrfrlas.PATENT OFFICE aolazsi SANITARY rnEsEnvmG CAN Heinrich Karl, JerseyCity, N." J. Application September 12, 1932, Serial No. 632,735 1o (ci.zzo-29) The improvements of the preserving cans are of such character asto render the cans completely sanitary also in case where the cans areopened in a. diierent way than it should be acli cording to the designthereof, as, for instance, when the can is cut open by means'f a canopener while it is so constructed that the rim of the lid is to be tornin by means of the ngers or some tool or that a strip is to be torn on lfrom the rim. More particularly, the invention embraces a. new method ofaflixingvthe lid to the can for hermetically closing the same wherebysolder will be eliminated for sealing purposes because solder is in manyrespects objectionable also.

from a sanitary viewpoint because the iiux used v in themanipulationswith solder deteriorates thel the can are liquid.

The usual wayl of opening metallic preserving cans by means of the canopener or other cutting tool whereby the sheet metal will be cut.

along a certain line, either on the top or on the bottom of thepreserving can, became so customary to the majority of the people thatthey ignore other forms for opening the cans, and in order to protectalso those. persons from facquir- ,ing fatal intestinal diseases whenthey havel to eat the eatables of cans that are opened with the canopener or other cutting tool, said simple but also inexpensive and veryeilicient means is introduced for making the preserving can absoltelysafe and sanitary no matter f which construction the can may be. Saidmeans consists of a specially shaped piece "of cellophane, celluloid orof impregnated cloth -that may be stiflened somewhat, or it may con-Asist of a suitably impregnated or waxed paper 'or fiber fabric and evenwood or sheet metal formed in sections may be used therefor -and placedso on top of and also under the eatables in vsuch manner that when themetal of the lid or of the'bottom is being cut the loose metal the side(the then upper side) of said means that is separated from the eatablesthrough said means. If then the cut-out part of the lid has been removedor bent up then the said means must be removed whereby the metalparticles 5 sticking or laying in the pbckets orchannels of the thenupper surface of said covering means will -be removed simultaneously andthe eatables will then lay bare and are ready for consummation or forcooking, etc. 4

It is obvious that said covering means can be employed also inconnection with those cans that are so constructed that they must beopened conlygwith the can opener or a like cutting "tool and in thisconnection as well as in all other 15"- makes of cans special supportingparts made of sheet metal may be employed which may be formed by aseparate piece or by a piece that includes also another part of the can,'such as the vertical walls thereof. 204

More features will be pointed out in the nowfollowingdetaileddescription. i

The improvements set forth are illustrated by the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. l shows in elevation a can with the im- 25. provements appliedthereto and more particularly such can that possesses improvements setworth in the specification of my United States Patent No. 1,691,394,issued November 13, 1928;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view (enlarged) taken on 30- the line. 2 2 of Fig.l and showing some of the main improvements according to the presentinvention;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one of the cans known to be opened bystripping off of a circum- 35 ferentially extending portion of the rimof the lid, whereby also the improvements of the present invention areapplied thereto, as shown in Fig. 2; Figs. .4 and 5 show variations inthe shape of the section of the part of the can that hermeti- 4 callyseals the can and which substitutes the more than in one instanceobjectionable solder with which "heretofore those cans havebeen sealedwhich are of the type shown in Figs. 1

and 2; 1

Fig. 6 shows a fragmentary part of the can showing also the sealing partillustrated in Fig. 5; Y f

Fig. 'I is a top view of said means shown also (but in section)'in Fig.2 and which serves for 59 preventing the metal particles, dislodgedthrough the cutting of the lid by means of the can opener or other tool,from falling into the eatables contained in the can and it serves alsofor removing the metal particles altogether; t

Fig. 8 is asectional v iew of the means shown in Fig. 7, wherebyan'addition is made to the border which in Fig. 7 is left away;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the upper part of a can showing the meansof Figs. 7 and 8 employed in connection therewith and an additionalmeans made of sheet metal for supporting said means of Fig. 7 when theeatables in the can are liquid; said additional means serving also otherpurposes so, vfor instance, in substituting said means'of Figs.7 and'when it became cuto Figs. 9, 10 and 11 is formed in one piece togetherwith the sheet metal of the can body;

Fig. 13l is an enlarged sectional view of the joint shown also in Fig.12 and the additional means in connection therewith;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of a modication of the additional means ofFigs. 9, 10 and 11' showing the can;

Fig. 15 is a top view of the covering means a modification to that shownin Figs. 7 and `8 whereby sections are employed;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 15; and

Fig. 17 shows a modication of the additional means.

It is customary in canning certain preserves, mostly jellies of fruits,to cover them with a ilat sheet of parchment paper or to place or pouran even layer of wax, etc. on top of the preserves.

These precautionary means have the purpose of forming an airtightclosure that prevents the preserves from spoiling, but purposes'as setforth also its combination with the joint of in connection with themeans ofv Figs. 7 and 8,

etc. cannot be pursued therewith because the parchmentpaper, not tospeak of the layer of wax, would be crumpled or even cut through by thecan opener or other tool and would spill the metal lings right into thepreserves.

' On the other hand, however, the means of Figs. 7 and 8 may fully servethe purpose of said parchment paper or layer ofwax, etc. andconsequently will have amanifold purpose. V

Referring to Figs. l and 2 of 'the drawings, I is the can body and 2 thelid therefor. qThe lid 2 has a rim 3 which forms aps 4 at'itsz lower.-part which are `to be bent outwardly with the fingers or with sometool and pulled upward so that the sheet metal 5 above the incisions 6will be torn in to any desirable extent when the can is to be opened.Midway between the flaps t and the upper edge of the rim 3 the metal ofthe rim is impressed soV as to form a circumferential channel I that mayhave convenient shapes in its section. While the section of the channel7.

of Fig. 1 shows two converging planes that are uniting in the center,the channel 'I of Fig. 4

shows an angular section of three walls while itc lines alongwhich thechannel 'I is made must f correspond'with a; channel 8 made in theveracaaaee l tical wall of the can body I and this channel 8 may haveaswell varying shapes in its section. Preferably, the shape of thesectional cut of the channel 'I should be diierent from that of thesectional cut of the channels for the purpose to allow enough space fprthe binder that is to placed between these parts. A binding material Ba,such as rubber or sealing wax or wax or tar or rosin mixed with asuitable varnish or some oil-impregnated -material or a material *mixedwith linseed oil such as fpulverized, cork, etc., is to be put in thechannel 8 while in semi-liquid condition( At the impression of channel lof therim 3 thebinding material 8a in channel 8 will be compressed alsoand squashed to an extent that corresponds with the depth to which thebossed part 1', that isformed on the back side of the sheet metal whenthe channel 'I is made, penetrates the channelLB. The bossed portion ofthe rim 3 must penetrate sufficiently deep into the channel 8 to preventthe removal of the lid 2' vfrom the can I excepting by means of the naps4 that are to be pulled so far upward that the metal abov v-theincisions 6 and that of the channel 'I will be torn in whereby thebossed part 'l' comes out of the channel 8 and consequently will not beheld by the opposing borders of that channel. Said binders are adaptedto dry in and become hard. The hardness thereof, however, does notprevent the metal of the bossed part of rim 3 to separate from thebinder through the strong pull exerted upon that metal part. Once allthe flaps 4 are lifted and the metalabove the l incisions torn insufficiently far, the lid may be lifted from the body I so that accesscan be had to the contents of the can. If the persons that have to openthe can would open it in the aforesaid manner no further precautions forsafeguarding the consumer would be necessary but the indiierence of manypersons that have to handle cans forces the introduction of the'additional means thatsafeguard` the consumer also when the can isopened with the can opener or other cutting tool. The additionalprecautionary y means are then situated inside the can and reference istherefore made to Fig. 2 of the drawings. There it will be seen that theeatables are indicated by I0 and that on top thereof is placed theprotecting means indicated by II. It 'will be noted also that a similarmeans II' is placed upside down and underneath the eatables and this isdone for the purpose to give also adequate protection to the consumerwhen the person that opens the can does open it on the bottom instead ofon the top, as it often happens. Besides these means II, II there isanother precaution employed for guiding or forcing the person that hasto open the can to cut it along prescribed lines. In this instance,there are on the lid 2' as well as on the bottom 2 channels I2, I2' madewhich will be the most convenient guide for any cutting tool, while theremainder of the lid and bottom is made so as to prevent the easycutting'of the sheet metal and these parts are therefore of roundedshape. The covering means II land Il' are of a certain shape that hasseveral purposes. Corresponding with the channel I2 (IZ) the meanslII`(II) has. a deep impression I3 (I3') that is created for giving theblade or edge of the cuttingtool that penetrates the sheet metal of thebottom of the vchannel I2 (I 2') suiiicient room for its movement in thecutting operation `j and to thereby prevent said blade or edge to pierceor crumble the part of the means II that forms the impression I3. Inaddition, the portion of that part may be of greater thickness and as itis obvious that a certain resiliency `oi that part of the means II (I I)exists, especially when liquid or semi-liquid preserves are con` tainedin the can, the cutting tool will not find such resistance that isnecessary for piercing or cutting the means II (II'). The means II (II')shows also a relatively deep impression I4 (I 4') in its center whichfaces also the center of the lid, that of the bottom of the can,respectively. 'I'his deep impression I4 (I4) has also the purpose ofavoiding a point of. a cutting tool of pierces the center of the lid,the bottom respectively, from piercing also the covering means II (II')in its center so that the metal particles dislodged at the piercing ofthe centei` of the lid or of the bottom of the can will not reach theeatables in the can but simply will fall into the impression I4 I 4').When the lid or bottom is thus cut with the can opener, etc..and'the lidlifted entirely or suiciently for permitting the removal of theprotecting covering means II (II') this means is simply seized with thefingers or with some tool in such mannerthat the side on which lie themetal particles will not be turned to face the estables in the can. Inorder to permit such manipulation and the safe removal from the can themeans II (II') must preferably be made of such material that allws acertain flexibility and contractibility and in this instance cellophaneor rubberized cloth or waxed or otherwise impregnated paper or so-calledparchment paper may be the most suitable materials. For preventing themeans II (I I) from submerging into the eatables (especially if they areliquid or semi-liquid) the border I5 (Figs. 7 und 8) should be heldsomewhat by the slightly slanting outer wall of the part that forms thechannel I2 (I2') and the corresponding inner wall of the can body I. Theborder I5 or its downwardly slanting part I5a if the latter is emp loyed(see Fig. 8) may as well Aadhere to the inner side of thewall of the canwhereby wax or some other suitable binder may hold it there sufficientlyfast and hermetically tight for preventing the estables from reachingthe upper side of the covering means II. In a similar manner should alsobe afiixed the covering means II' so that the eatables may not reach theunderside thereof.

'Ihere are, however, certain difculties in connection therewith, thatis, when the means II, II is to be held only by the metal parts of thelid and of the corresponding wall of the can, because once the lid andbottom is afllxed to the can it can not be found out if the means I I(I-I') is held too fast because it should be easily removable, or if itis not held fast enough in which event it would submerge when theeatables are liquid or semi-liquid.' An additional means I8 (Figs. 9.10, 11) and I8a (Fig. 17) and I8c (Fig. 14) is therefore introducedandis made /of sheet metal or of any other suitable material and is soshaped that it will support the part I3 or I3 and will also be adaptedto be firmly held between the exterior wall of channel I2 (I2') and thecorresponding wall of the can I. 'Ihe covering means II (II') does thenneed noV fixing whatsoever when the preserves are not liquid but it canbe` afxed with wax to the additional (supporting) means I8 (Figs. 9, 10,11) or I8a (Fig. 17). .Y e

ments deems therefore unnecessary.

The means -II (I I) simply lies then with its part that forms the pocketI3 (II') on the additional means I8 (|8a).

'I'he supporting means I8 (I8a) is shaped in conformity with the shapeof the can which in 5 this instance is circular as shown by the draw-4 yings. Referring more particularly to the supporting means indicated byI8, it has its two sides bent up so that a circular channel 28 iscreated thereby. The inner bent side or wall 2| is shorter than theouter wall 22 for facilitating the removal of the means II (II') It isobvious that additional means I8' similar to I8, I8a are alsoemployablein connection with the bottom of the can.

Referring to the modification of the supporting means I 8a shown in Fig.17, there is no channel formed but it consists chiefly of a verticalpart and a supporting part which latter extends to the interior of thecan in a more or less horizontal 20 manner. In connection with thissupporting' means the covering means II, I I should be affixed with waxor other suitable binding material which, however, will not hold it sofast that it forms an obstruction to the removal with the 25 fingers. Onthe covering means II (II') directions might beprinted informing theperson that Y opens the can of how to handle the (I I) and why it isemployed.

It is also obvious that the additional means I8, 3o I8a if made of sheetmetal can be made of one piece together with one of the other metallicparts of the can and such construction necessitates additional shapingof other parts of the 35 can which will be described subsequently inconnection with Fig. 12.

Referring to the construction of the can of Fig. 3, it is shown that therim 25 of the lid 26 has a strip 21 that is adapted for being pulled oiIin the known manner by seizing and pulling the tongue 4 28. Inconstructions of this kind the only binder that could successfully beemployed heretofore for hermetically sealing the can was solder that wasintroduced between said rim 25 and the outer side of the wall 29 of thecan body and especially 45 along a line that corresponds with a linedrawn a little lower than the line 38 which latter is the line alongwhich the furrow or furrows are made for weakening the sheet metal alongthat line. 50 Solder was also placed along the line that correspondswith the lower edge of the strip 21.

Now in conformity with the present invention,

means I I instead of using solder a method is employed Vin which solderis eliminated and whereby the seal- 55 ing of the can is performed bythe similar means' already described in connection with Figs. l, 4,

5 and 6. The channels 1 and 8 respectively correspond with a linerunning centrally of the strip 2I. Besides the improvement mentioned inconso. nection with the can of Fig.l 3 there are also all theimprovements incorporated in that can that have been described so far inconnection with Figs. 2 to' 11 inclusive and with Fig. 17 and 'arepetition of the description of these improve- Referring toFig. 12 itis shown that the additional part I8b that has the same purpose ofsupporting the covering means II is combined with the joint of the canand is made of one piece together with the metal wall I' of the can. Inthe same fashion is also bent the similar part I8b' which serves inconnection with the means II' that lies on the bottom of the can.

In Fig.- 13,where the joint of the can of Fig. 12.15"

y rmly thereby.

is shown in astill more enlarged proportion it will be noted that thesheet metal of the can body I is bent at 35 and folded upon itself asfar as to the point indicated by 36 where the sheet metal is turnedtoward the interior of the can and thus forms the additional supportingpart IBb. The portion of the sheet metal of the can that is bent uponitself is again bent twice, namely at the "point 31 and at the point 38in such manner as to permit the lid 2a to surround and grip the saidportion that is bent upon itself and to permit also the edge portion 39of the lid to be inserted between the vertically directed parallelrunning two pairs 40, 4I of that sheet metal of the can body that formspart of the joint. The binding material 42, such as rubber, is placed onthat side of the lid that faces the last named part of the joint andafter the compression is made the rubber between the respective metalwalls will also be compressed and the joint finished and the ultimateshape thereof is then created as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. An additionalfeature may also be obtained by bending the sheet metal I at 43v and at44 whereby the joint will not protrude so much over the vertical planeof the wall I ofthe can body which is an advantage for packing purposes.

In Fig. 14 a 'slightly different modification of a joint is shown inwhich the additional supporting means is included which latter, however,is: made of a piece of sheet metal separate from any other part of thecan. The part 46 of the additional supporting means IBc is bent so thatit can lay on that portion of the joint that is formed by the sheetmetal of the can I" and when the edge of the lid 2b is bent on thatjoint in the usual way the said additional supporting means will be heldIn Fig. 14 the additional supporting means I8c is relatively longer thanthe other similar devices shown in the drawings and the interior edge 41thereof is as far bent upward that it presses against the lid. It isthus obvious that the covering means II will also be pressed against theunderside of the lid, in this instance, against the slanting side wallI2c of the channel I2. The advantage is thereby obtained that thecovering means is held firmly without the vneed of a binding material,such as wax, to be applied to the covering means II or to the supportingmeans I8c and there is still the possibility for safely removing thecovering means II after the lid has been cut along the channel andlifted. It is obvious that also the other modifications shown in thedrawings may be bent as high as that indicated by I8c in Fig. 14. Forliquid preserves the modification of the supporting means of Fig. 14 ispreferable over the others because no extra binder is necessary forpreventing the liquid contents of the can to enter the space I3c.

Referring to Figs. 15 and 16 the embodiment of that covering meansconsists of several sections 50, 5I, 52, etc. that may be made of anysuitable material, such as stiff cardboard or stiifened cloth, celluloidor cellophane, wood or sheet metal, aluminum etc. Any of the supportingmeans so far described would suice for holding the covering means ofFigs. 15 and 16. There is a central piece 58 arranged against the sideof which lean the narrow ends thereof in concentrated fashion. Thecentral piece 58 is hollow and is open on top. "The bottom thereof issufficiently broad with edges 59 protruding for avoiding the sectionsfrom falling down while they are being inserted. .'I'he function of thecentral piece 58 is similar to that ofthe keystone or the central pieceof a dome against which the converging parts find support. And since itis also hollow metal particles that become loosened when the center ofthe lid will be pierced will fall into the hollow of said central pieceand can be readily taken away when the cut part of the lid is removed.In removing this kind of covering means it is preferable to remove rstthose sections 5I, 53, 55 and 51 that lie on top of their neighborsections 50, 52, 54, 56, respectively, whereafter the latter can beremoved. In order to prevent the sections 5I, 53, 55 and 51 to displacethemselves there are little elevations 60 embossed or otherwise madenear the radially directed edges of the sections 50, 52, 54 and 56.

As an additional feature it might be introduced still anotherprecautionary means which consists of cotton or of some. other material65 (see Fig. 12) which might be soaked or which may be of'l an adhesivecharacter and placed into the channel JI3 and pocket I4 (or I3c etc.)and to which must stick the metal filings. This last named means shouldbe adapted to be removed easily before the covering means itself will beremoved.

There might be made the objection that the arrangements described willtake some room and therefore reduce the capacity of the can. As I haveshown inthe figures, however, the space required by the channel I3 andpocket I4 is sufciently replaced again to the can interior by elevatingthe larger part of the lid and covering means to the level line thatcorresponds with the uppermost edge of the joint and on the bottom ofthe can the arrangement is similar in regard to the bottom line whichreaches as far down as the base line of the lower joint.

The additional means I8, I8a, I6b, I8b' can be of the same material asthe covering means II, II' and the latter may have any of the convenientshapes as shown in Figs. 2, '7, 8, 9 and on the top and bottom part ofFig. 12 as well as in Fig. 13.

The material 65 shown in Fig. 12 may have also another purpose besidesthe one mentioned already; it may be used at the same time for wiping oithe raw edge of the cut metal of the bottom of the channel I2 (I 2')right after the can has been opened.

Having described a preferable form of myy invention, what I claim is:

1. A preserving can consisting f the body thereof and of the lidtherefor, a covering means for the preserves, a supporting means for thecovering means having one of its edges extending as far as to thrustagainst the underside of the lid and having the other edge held fast bythe a lid seamed to said body portion, a removable covering meansadjacent the lid for covering the contents of the can and a supportingmeans for said covering means attached to the can and having a portionlying between the contents of the can l.and the covering means to holdsaid coverin'g means in place.

3. A preserving can comprising a body portion,

a lid seamed to said body portion, a removable covering means adjacentthe lid for covering the contents of the can and a supporting means forsaid covering means attached to the can and having a portion lyingbetween the contents of the can and the covering means to hold saidcovering means in place, said covering means having depressions formedchiey at such parts which correspond with parts of said lid that will becut or pierced by the tool for opening the can and said depressionsadapted therefore to receive the particles cut loose at that cuttingoperation.

4. A preserving can comprising a body portion, a lid of sheet metalseamed to said body portion, a removable covering means adjacent the lidfor covering the contents of the can and a supporting means for saidcovering means attached to the can and having a portion lying betweenthe contents of the can'and the covering means to hold said coveringmeans in place, said covering means having a central depression and anendless channel-like depression near its circumference, said centraldepression corresponding with the part of the lid that will be puncturedby a cutting tool of special-construction and the channel-likedepression corresponding with that part of the lid that will be cut bythe blade of said cutting tool, both kinds of depressions adaptedtherefore to receive the metal lings cut loose from the lid at thecutting operation.

5. A preserving can comprising a body portion,

a lid secured to said body portion, a ,removable covering means adjacentthe lid for coveringthe contents of the can and a means for holding saidcovering means to said can body portion and for holding said coveringmeans in place, said covering means having depressions and being made ofa contractile material, said depressions and the contractibility beingsuch as to permit the gripping of said covering means 'with the ngersand its withdrawal from the can when the lid is cut open and the openingin the lid is even cut relatively smaller than the actual circumferenceof said covering means.

6. A preserving can comprising a body portion, a lid seamed to said bodyportion, a removable covering means adjacent the lid for covering thecontents of the can and a supporting means for said covering meansattached to the can and having a portion lying between the contents ofthe can and the covering means to hold said covering means in place,said covering means having depressions and the walls and the bottoms ofthe parts forming said depressions being reinforced.

7. A preserving can comprising a body por- 5 tion, a lid seamed to saidbody portion,V said lid having a guiding channel for the can opener, aremovable covering means adjacent the lid for covering the contents ofthe can and a supporting means for said covering means attached to thecan and having a portion lying between the `contents of the can and thecovering means to hold the covering means in place, said covering meanshaving a channel-like depression near its outer edge and said depressioncorresponding with the position of said guiding channel on the lid andhaving such depth that said can opener will not touch or cut thatcovering means during the can opening operation.

8. A preserving can comprising a body portion, 20 a lid seamed to saidbody portion, a removable covering means adjacent the lid for coveringthe contents of the can and a. supporting means for said covering meansto hold said covering means in place, said covering means having a meanson its upper side for catching the particles cut loose from the lid whenthe latter will be cut through.

9. A preserving can comprising a body portion. a lid seamed to said bodyportion, a. removable covering means adjacent the lid for covering thecontents of the can and a supporting means for said covering meansattached to the can and having a portion lying between the contents ofthe can and the covering means to hold said covering means in place,said covering means formed by sections arranged around a center pieceand each of said sections having an abutment for preventing displacementof the single sections.

10. A preserving can comprising a body portion, a lid secured to saidbody portion, a removable covering means adjacent the lid for coveringthe contents of the can and a supporting means for said covering meansattached to the can and having a portion lying between the contents ofthe can and the covering means to` hold said covering means in place,said covering means made of paper that is impregnated with a water andgrease resisting substance that is unadulterable to the contents of thecan and said supporting means made o'f suitable metal.

V HEINRICH KARL.

